The Sledgehammer is a two-handed blunt melee weapon that can deal a great amount of damage at the cost of being cumbersome. It is a highly risky weapon to use as it continuously weighs down on the player and slows them down. The sledgehammer is unable to be used while exhausted.

The sledgehammer has the highest max damage output of all weapons as well as the highest average damage[1]. It is plagued with the longest swing time of all melee weapons, requiring the player to plan his attacks against zombies.

The sledgehammer also functions as an effective door-breaker and tree chopper. It has the ability to do 40 door damage compared to the Axe's 30. The sledgehammer can be used to destroy furnitures, walls, stairs, and most placeable structures[2].